Spearfishing Zanzibar

[MOGGY]

Three of us are going to Zanzibar in April, for 10 days and so, after speaking to Mark Jackson, I decided to look into the possiblity of spearfishing there..

One company has the sole rights to spearfish there and they want 1000$ US a day, for the boat and a minnimum of three days. I want to go on a day trip, not buy the boat.

They say that spearfishing is illegal, unless if you go with them, because the are the only people with a permit.


I dont have a big enough pot of vaseline, for those prices, for hiring a butt cat
 

 

[Vades]

MOGGY wrote:

Three of us are going to Zanzibar in April, for 10 days and so, after speaking to Mark Jackson, I decided to look into the possiblity of spearfishing there..

One company has the sole rights to spearfish there and they want 1000$ US a day, for the boat and a minnimum of three days. I want to go on a day trip, not buy the boat.

They say that spearfishing is illegal, unless if you go with them, because the are the only people with a permit.


I dont have a big enough pot of vaseline, for those prices, for hiring a butt cat
 

Go on regular scuba dive on one day, and a fishing charter on another.

Not exactly the same as spearfishing I know, but the diving there is really awesome.

I spent a few days in Zanzibar a couple of years ago and it was great.

 

[MOGGY]

I will go shooting with my cameras instead.

 

[roryf]

Is that with Eric and Nigel?

Things have hotted up there quite a bit with the fishermen causing grief for the spearos.Eric has written a response recently to spearfishing being illegal in Tanzania but does say that they have a permit for Zanzibar and surrounds.

I will try and find the response.

http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=115709&page=5  (Admin,pls take off if not allowed)

 

[Gromit]

I have a good mate that runs a restaurant in Nungwi. Whe I was planning a trip up there he also mentioned the politics about spearfishing.

Do you know if Pemba has the same restrictions?

 

[MOGGY]

Gromit

We will be staying in Nungwi for two days, what is the restaurant's name ?

This is with Eric and nigel.

 

[Paul D]

Hi there,

I am going up to Zanzibar end Septenber to early October 2011.....did you come right with arranging a spearfishing chater for your time in Zanzibar??

I am really keen to get some reports w.r.t reliable & reasonably priced opertors in North West region of Zanzibar.

Cheers for now....

 

[MOGGY]

Just returned from Zanzibar and the water an viz is really great.

Unfortunately you are not allowed to spearfish by using a speargun, but you may use a polespear.

Only one person has the rights to spearfish there and take out trips.

 

[Adrian B]

To be fair to the charters in question if any body has been to Tanzania, done business there or lived there you will no doubt be aware that it an expensive place to operate in. Everything from the visa when you land, to cab fair and accomodation is a lot more expensive than South African are accustomed to paying.

Not surprised by their rate. Nothing in Dar is cheap. Like many african countries a 100$ is the price for just about anything and goes upwards from their.

Last I was in Zambia the price of petrol was alamost R20 a litre.

Travel in Africa a bit. Makes you appreciate how cheap SA is.

 

[MOGGY]

Petrol on Zanzibar was  2200 shilingi a litre, roughly 10 ZAR.

If you hire a motorised dow you pay  60 $US.

A fishing trip in the north, with tackle included is 250 $ US.

I stayed two days in Dar restaurants, supermarkets are all affordable and beer in a restaurant is about R14.

Taxi fare from the airport to the harbour and back and the driver waited for us, for three hours 70 $ US.

Unfortunately when you have a monopoly, then you can charge 1000 $ for a butt cat per day.

I actually had more fun, photographing fish and catching and releasing kingeys.

 

[Adrian B]

Moggy I hear you. Got quotes the other day for Madagascar, worked out to about 30k for a weeks diving and that was after splitting it 4 ways. Not cheap.

You can drive yourself and your boat to Moz for 2 weeks on half that kind of cash, assuming you own a boat.

I would have to be assured of some whopping fish to part with that kind of cash and the reality is you still need to be a competant diver to have a chance at landing a good fish assuming the conditions are on.

However also consider the fact that the Butt cat was probably bought and fetched from SA, the boat is probably based in Dar and has to run there (+-70km) before you step on it. If Eric or what ever the guys name is comes with you, he needs accomodation for the night before and probably after your trip. Plus that boat needs to get back to Dar. Not sure if the above is accurate but I would imagine their is more to the 1000$ than petrol to your dive spot.

If you have tried to register a business in Africa you can appreciate the red tape it has taken to get that "sole right to spear fish" document so I'm not surprised it's expensive.

You also paying for local knowledge/ GPS spots/ Echo which the guy with the tiller arm skiff  for 60$ can't provide.

Not saying a 1000$ is a fair price just that you can't compare it to a 60$ local with a tiller arm motor and no spearfishing experiance.

A world record Doggie behind your operations name is going to add value to your offering. Some people are willing to pay for that knowledge and experiance.

Essentialy trashing the guys business on a on line forum is a bit off sides thats all.

 

[MOGGY]

I am not trashing his business, but I still feel it is over the top.

I do not doubt that they know what they are doing and you pay for that, but the authorities will confiscate your speargun as soon as you land, unless you go through them.

Is that not a monopoly ?

They wanted to confiscate my gopro camera mount, because it resembled a speargun.

I do own a boat and have had boats for the last 21 years and been in spearfishing for longer.

I am actually meeting him soon to introduce him to some boat builders in PE

 

[Adrian B]

Yip, one can't deny that is a monopoly type situation. No doubt some locals on the Island will cotton onto to it soon enough and some competition will emerge. Such is business.

 

[MOGGY]

This trip was a round the island trip and we stopped off in the south, the east and then the north.

I slipped up in the south, by not just swimming to the drop off on the first day.

The next trip will be to Moz, but I will take the Kayaks there if we drive.

I previously spent a month at Linga, north of Inhambane.

I have mates with houses in Moz, but very north and the drive will take half the holiday.

Where do you go ?

 

[Adrian B]

I've been as far as Inhambane and I must say I don't think that far north is any better than the area between Xai Xai to Ponta da Ouro. Sure some may argue otherwise.

So for the last couple of years I haven't bothered driving that far any more. Any where between Inhaca and Ponta is consistently good. 

Found it makes sense to go back to the same place often, you get to know it well, all the local politics and what conditions turn it on.

If you hit a new spot without intel and marks you can spend a whole week scratching. People think Moz just boils with fish, it can but you need very specific spots and the conditions aren't always ideal.

Take a boat will give you much more options

 

[MichaelK]

I won a lucky draw prize at the Durban ski boat comp this year, its a 1 day big game fishing charter for up to 4 people from a fishing charter based at Nungwi lodge, Zanzibar


The prize is valued at R8000 and is valid for a year. There are 4 boats to choose from and you have the choice of either spinning for GTs ect or gunning for Sail fish or marlin

Unfortunately my work commitments restrict me and i'm unable to go on this trip.

If any of you guys are interested in purchasing it from me for R5000, thats a savings of R3000, give me a call at 0720822837